Calls to investigate if religious groups violated IRS laws

Political watchdogs want the IRS to crack down on religious outfits that get tax breaks but promote individual political candidates. The law permits religious groups to speak out on any issue but if they promote or oppose a particulate candidate they have broken the tax code law. Religious groups got $145 billion in tax breaks the past decade. Catholic bishops have come under fire as has the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. The latter ran full page ads asking folks to vote for candidates supporting “the biblical definition of marriage between a man and a woman.” Graham, in his ’90s, signed the ads but his son, Franklin, runs the association and has been known to put his foot in his mouth when asked about things political. That’s the only reason he is ever asked, actually. His knowledge seems limited. As for that biblical definition, I recall some heroes of the Bible had more than one wife. But I digress. With more and more people losing faith in churches, it would seem they would want to put distance between them and politics for self preservation. When churches become just another partisan political ad machine they lose their significance in society and their moral authority. They get pulled into the gutter with the politicians.

So when is Planned Parenthood going to be investigated? It is a non-profit that receives federal funds and has its own PAC, for goodness sake.

#2 Comment By Shoregrrl On November 14, 2012 @ 1:23 pm

I agree with what you say, particularly that no church should endorse a particular candidate. I don’t have a problem with them touting a particular policy, though.

I am guessing that the average neighborhood church probably doesn’t fall into this category. I have never met the upper echelon of my church (Episcopal), but what I care about are the people I see every week in church. I think that in general churches provide a great service to society. I know that my own has always helped the poor in a hands-on way, for example by establishing a soup kitchen that feeds the poor on a regular basis (and provided daily meals to all comers during the aftermath of Sandy).

Churches that violate the law should certainly lose their tax-exempt status, but most are run by honest citizens who provide services to the community.

Oh, and I do agree that Franklin Graham does seem like a dim bulb at times, but he also comes across as a sweet man who holds sincere beliefs and does great work with his charity, Samaratin’s Purse.

#3 Comment By Bob Ingle On November 14, 2012 @ 5:32 pm

Look up what the Better Business Bureau has to say about Franklin’s outfit. Billy never paid himself more than $100,000 a year. Franklin thinks he’s worhk more than $700,000 a year.

#4 Comment By Debbie On November 14, 2012 @ 6:32 pm

can we say Reverend Wright…

#5 Comment By JerseyOpine On November 14, 2012 @ 6:35 pm

So you don’t think there were any ministers in Newark lobbying for Obama votes in these last 2 elections?

#6 Comment By Bob Ingle On November 14, 2012 @ 7:04 pm

Did you see an exception somewhere in there?

#7 Comment By JerseyOpine On November 14, 2012 @ 8:44 pm

No, but definitely a focus.

#8 Comment By Shoregrrl On November 15, 2012 @ 10:11 am

Bob, I didn’t realize that tidbit about Franklin Graham. It’s always very disappointing when someone cloaks himself in religion and then turns out to be an empty suit bent on his own personal enrichment. I am guessing that Franklin Graham sincerely believes that he is worth $700K, but he is definitely missing the message of Christ.

#9 Comment By Bob Ingle On November 15, 2012 @ 11:05 am

And he should stay the hell out of politics too if he wants to maintain his credibility.

#10 Comment By Shoregrrl On November 15, 2012 @ 1:25 pm

I don’t think you have to worry that he will get very far in politics. I saw him interviewed a few months ago on “Morning Joe” (a show that is on MSNBC and features a group of simpering, superior, left-leaning “journalists”), and the interviewers ate him for lunch.